Obituraries
• James Chester Adams Jr., 94, of Jacksonville. Died April 15, 2018 at the Thompson House Nursing Home in Brattleboro. Born in South Windham, Conn., on August 14, 1923, the son of the late James C. and Clara Isabel Allen Adams, he attended local schools and was a graduate of Norwich Free Academy in 1942. He served in the Army during World War II as an aviation engineer. After the war, he worked as a machine operator for many years. In his earlier years, he worked for his father in the sawmill in Jacksonville, and retired from Kendall Textile Mills in Griswoldville, Mass., in 1986. He was also a member of Unity Lodge #89 F&AM serving as Past Master and District Deputy also for the Order of the Eastern Star. He was a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Brattleboro and Past Patron of O.E. S. Mayflower Chapter #19 for 16 years. He recently received his 60-year membership pin for the Unity Lodge and a 50 year membership pin for the OES. He enjoyed walking in the woods and on the local roads and would walk up to 6 miles a day. He was an avid history reader. He cut, split, and stacked his own firewood on his property for many years. He especially enjoyed spending time with his family. He was a dedicated member of the Congregational Church in Jacksonville, and had been a member of the Couples Club and Western Square Dancing Club. He is survived by his wife, Shirley Brown Adams, of Brattleboro, whom he married in 1949; their children, Nancy Adams-Lentz and her husband, Russell, of Pace, Fla.; Jacqueline Adams-Howes and her husband, Jason, of Jacksonville; and Cheryl Adams-Crawford and her husband, Roger, of Wilmington; and five grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. He was the oldest of six siblings and was preceded in death by sisters Claire Derosier and Ruth Brennan, and brothers, John, Donald, and Gilbert Adams. Memorial information: A celebration of his life will be held Friday, May 4, at 11 a.m., at the Jacksonville Community Church. Interment will be private. There are no visiting hours. Donations to the Jacksonville Community Church, in care of Covey Allen & Shea Funeral Home, P.O. Box 215, Wilmington, VT 05363.
• Barbara Scholl Baker-Bury, 73, of Brattleboro. Died on Sunday, April 8, 2018 at her home in Brattleboro, surrounded by family in a room filled with flowers. She was given a cancer diagnosis in late winter 2018 and bravely faced her illness, which evolved with stunning speed. She was deeply appreciative of the outpouring of gifts and messages she received from so many who knew and loved her, and especially the tender and devoted care of her partner, Mark Kilgallon, and her daughters and sisters. She was born on Oct. 9, 1944, in Englewood, N.J., the oldest daughter of Katharine and Julian Scholl. She adored her early years as a student at the Dwight School, and kept in touch with many of her classmates all her life. She often described her childhood as idyllic, filled with lots of family close by, gardens to play in, and music, dance and sports, especially tennis, all playing important roles in her life. In 1966, she graduated from Denison University and married her college sweetheart, Tom Baker. They had two beloved daughters, Lindsay and Cary, and lived and worked in several different private schools in Maryland, Atlanta and New Jersey. In the late 1970s, she moved with her daughters to Brattleboro and David Bury came into her life. During this time, she began singing with the Blanche Moyse Chorale. She and David became close friends with Blanche and established strong ties with the BMC. Barbara sang with Blanche for more than 20 years, and the extraordinary musical experiences and friendships she had with the chorale were intensely meaningful to her. In 1992, she earned a Masters in Counseling Psychology from Lesley College and began a career she was dedicated to for the rest of her life. She worked for HCRS as a school-based mental health clinician in the White River Junction area for many years and was highly respected for her warm relationships with children. She was also a much loved counselor for her many adult clients. In 2002, she began working with MSPCC, a mental health agency in Greenfield, Mass., and there she met fellow therapist Mark Kilgallon, who became her treasured and adoring companion. Barbara was an avid gardener. Few things in life brought her more gratification than the time she spent outside planting, puttering and dreaming up elaborate landscape designs. In her mid-50s, she discovered a passion for abstract painting when she began taking art classes at the River Gallery School with Barbara Campman. As her studies evolved, a new world of color and design poured out of her with ease and great delight, resulting in hundreds of joyful oil paintings and watercolors. Her work was exhibited several times at the Latchis Theatre, The Edgewater Gallery, and the Crowell Library, among other venues. She passionately loved life and, above all, she loved her family. She will be deeply missed by her partner Mark Kilgallon and his family, her daughters Lindsay Agne and her husband, Rob, and Cary Baker and her husband, Gamble Staempfli; her sisters Virginia Scholl and her husband, Ken Pick, and Sally Hedberg; four grandchildren, four nieces and nephews, numerous cousins, and the many friends and clients whose lives she touched. Memorial information: A celebration of her life will take place on Sunday, May 6, at 2 p.m., at Currier Hall at The Putney School. Donations to the Blanche Moyse Chorale at BMC, 72 Blanche Moyse Way, Brattleboro, VT 05301, or the River Gallery School, 32 Main St., Brattleboro, VT 05301.
• Olin Henry Butler, 84, formerly of Chesterfield, N.H., Died Thursday, April 12, 2018 at the Bradley House in Brattleboro. He was born on the family farm in Chesterfield on Dec. 21, 1933, the son of Ernest and Beatrice (Lecuyer) Butler. He was raised and educated in Chesterfield and was a graduate of Hinsdale High School, Class of 1950. A proud veteran, he served his country in the Navy during the Korean War. Following his honorable discharge from active service, he returned home and went to work as a machine operator at The Book Press in Brattleboro. He retired from The Book Press at the time the company closed, following 32 faithful years of service. During his earlier years, he worked with his brothers as a carpenter. For several years he was a resident of Newport, Vt., eventually moving back to the Brattleboro area to be close to family. He was a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and was a life member of the National Rifle Association. An ardent outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening and wildlife, especially small animals and birds. He also enjoyed time shared with his grandchildren and great-grandson Grayson. Survivors include two sons, Ernest Butler of Orleans and Michael Butler of Burlington; three daughters, Virginia Estep of Salisbury, Mass., Carol Briggs of Harrisburg, Va., and Melody Valenti of Hinsdale; three sisters, Marguerite, Beatrice and Ethel, nine grandchildren, five great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by one son, Owen Butler, two brothers, Raymond Butler Sr. and Edwin Butler, and a sister, Edith Doyle. Memorial information: Graveside services with military honors will be conducted Saturday, June 2, at 10 a.m., in Pine Grove Cemetery in Hinsdale. Donations to The Bradley House, 65 Harris Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301. To send messages of condolence to the family, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Clarence John “C.J.” Cole, 84, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died April 16, 2018. He was born in North Troy, Vt., on March 13, 1934, the son of the late William and Hazel (Merrell) Cole. He resided in Hinsdale for most of his life and was a combat veteran during the Korean War. He entered the Army when he was 16 years old. He often told the story that his older brother was the one to recruit and swear him into the service. Sergeant Cole served in Korea with the 25th Infantry Division between 1950 and 1953. He was wounded twice and received the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, and the Combat Infantryman's Badge for his courage under fire. His daughter, Terri, worked hard to assure that C.J. would receive all medals he deserved and was successful in securing these medals in 2012 and thought it fitting that he died on Patriots Day. Upon leaving the service, he worked in construction. Later, he was self-employed as a builder, electrician, and plumber and was extremely proud of his work. C.J. built his own home, workshop, and pool and took great pride in maintaining all of them. In 1953, when CJ was running the Shell station on Putney Road, he decided to have a little fun and bring a smile to people during the holidays by dressing up as Santa Claus. He waved to everyone and belted out a hearty “Ho, Ho, Ho!” For the next 53 years, he wore the same suit on Christmas Eve and visited the elderly, walked down the streets of Brattleboro and Hinsdale, and brought sparkles to the eyes of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren when showing up on their doorsteps just as they were getting ready for bed. When anyone needed help, and no matter what time of the day, CJ would always be there. He especially enjoyed country music, a day at Mohegan Sun, watching M*A*S*H reruns, traveling, dancing, and having special events at his home. We can still hear C.J. saying in a very deep, loud voice, “HOO-RAH!” He is survived by his loving wife of 33 years, Donna Dartt Cole; his children, Terri Kathan and her husband, James, of Langdon, N.H.; and son Marcus of Charleston, W.Va.; three stepdaughters, Kim Mitchell of Hinsdale, Lori Strange of Guilford, and Gina Hanson of Brattleboro; 10 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his eldest son, Alan, and siblings Charles, Calvin, and Clyde Cole, and Alice LaRosa; as well as a grandchild, Travis. Memorial information: Friends may call at Atamaniuk Funeral Home in Brattleboro on Sunday, April 29, from noon to 2 p.m. A graveside service with with full military honors will follow in St. Joseph's Cemetery in Hinsdale. Donations to Brigid's Kitchen Renovation Fund, 47 Walnut St., Brattleboro, VT 05301.
• Judith Lydiard Kinley, 74, of Brattleboro. Died following an extended illness. She was a resident of Guilford and then Brattleboro since 1976. Born in Peekskill, N.Y., on Nov. 30, 1942, the daughter of Captain Charles Williams Lydiard and Marjorie Gonda Lydiard. She was raised in Westfield, Mass., where she graduated from Westfield High School in 1960 and then from the School of Nursing at the New England Deaconess Hospital in 1963 as an R.N. She traveled extensively around the country and then to Europe, via hopping a freighter to France. She eventually settled in Aspen, Colo., in 1966 where she worked at the Aspen Hospital and rode horses, motorcycles, and skied in her spare time. After moving to Guilford in 1976, she was employed by the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital as a nurse, and eventually as Director of Nursing. She also helped organize the Ethics Committee at BMH, and served as a consultant in ethics all over the state. In 1981, she received a Bachelor of Science from the University of New Hampshire. In 1980, she married Dr. Donald L. Kinley, also of Brattleboro, and they began the first of their many adventures together, which got off to a bad start when a bear ate most of their provisions on just the second day of their honeymoon camping trip. From 1984 to 2004, Judith taught nursing at the Greenfield Community College. Known as a challenging and compassionate teacher, she led three trips with her nursing students to the Navajo Nation in Arizona, where she volunteered her expertise in clinics serving the Navajo population. During this time, she earned an M.S. in nursing administration at the University of Massachusetts, a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard University in 1993, and went on to teach ethics at Harvard, and then earned a Masters of Divinity in 2003. That same year, she was ordained in the United Church of Christ, and became the pastor of the Greenfield (Mass.) Congregational Church, where she remained for six years. In addition to her passion for continued learning, Judith enjoyed hiking, skiing, bicycling, tennis, working in her flower garden, and cheering for the Red Sox. She was also a voracious reader, and enjoyed crossword puzzles. She was an accomplished violinist and enjoyed singing with the River Singers, the Hospice Choir “Eventide” and the Guilford Community Church choir. She continued to travel, and with her husband, took each of her grandchildren on special vacations to places such as Alaska, Colorado, Costa Rica, and Israel. The times most special to her were annual family trips to Silver Bay YMCA in the Adirondacks, with all of her children and grandchildren. Besides her faithful and devoted husband of 37 years, she leaves behind five children; Heather (Craig) Sherman of Redding, Calif., Bonnie Kinley of Rutland, John (Heidi) Kinley of Guilford, Arthur Luhn of Randolph, Mass., and Anne (Kelsey) Kinley, of Westminster, Colo. She is also survived by her brother, William Lydiard, of Norton; as well as nine grandchildren, nine nieces and nephews, and her beloved furry companion, Skye. Her parents and a brother, Paul Lydiard, predeceased her. Memorial information: A memorial celebration of her life was conducted at Guilford Community Church on April 24. A private burial will follow at a later date. Donations to the Guilford Community Church, 38 Church Dr., Guilford, VT 05301, or to the Vermont Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, 300 Cornerstone Dr., Suite 130, Williston, VT 05495-4031. To send messages of condolence to the family, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Jeffrey A. Stanclift, 53, former resident of Camden, Maine. Died Wednesday, March 7, 2018, at his home in Merrimack, N.H., after a short battle with ALS. He was born on Sept. 23, 1964 in Brattleboro to Christine (Osgood) and the late R. James Stanclift. He was raised in Hinsdale, N.H., and graduated from Hinsdale High School. He then went on to the United States Military Academy at West Point. He served for five years with the Army, during which he earned his Airborne and Ranger status before his honorable discharge at the rank of captain in 1991. He was last employed at Sheshunoff Corporation and previously worked at MBNA/Bank of America for 15 years. He was a beloved coach and mentor to many. He coached hockey, soccer, baseball and softball in mid-coast Maine for many years. He enjoyed boating, hiking, and camping. Most of all, he enjoyed spending time with his family. He is survived by his loving wife of 30 years, Ellen (Lavenson) Stanclift; two children, Joshua Stanclift and Caroline Stanclift; mother, Christine Stanclift; a brother, Jim Stanclift and his wife Heidi, along with three nieces and nephews, Adam, Blaine and Nicole Stanclift; grandmother, Shirley Collins, and mother-in-law, Susan Lavenson. Memorial information: There are no calling hours. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. Donations to United Midcoast Charities, 87 Elm St, Suite 205, Camden, ME 04843 (unitedmidcoastcharities.org/donate).
• Patricia Ann “Pat” Werden, 77, of Brattleboro. Died April 17, 2018 at Pine Heights Nursing Home, following a lengthy illness. Born in Bridgeport, Conn., on Feb. 20, 1941, the daughter of Arthur and Angela (English) Donofrio, she was raised and educated in Easton, Conn., graduating from Andrew Ward High School with the Class of 1959. She went on to earn her A.A. in secretarial science from Dean Junior College in Franklin, Mass. For many years, she worked for Ursula Dalem at Dalem's Chalet in West Brattleboro. It was a position she thoroughly enjoyed, becoming a close friend of Mrs. Dalem. She was a longtime communicant of St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church and was an active member of the Westgate Association. She loved to bowl and was active for several years with the Brattleboro Bowling League. She also enjoyed time spent with her fiancé, Jerry Dunham. Survivors also include one daughter, Christine Bachman (Kevin) of N. Branford, Conn., two sons, William Werden of West Brattleboro and Michael Werden (Megan) of Northfield, Mass.; two sisters, Mary Beth Bennett (Joseph) of Port St Lucie, Fla., and Marcia Hanson (Donald) of Putney; one grandson, and five nieces. Memorial information: A celebration of her life will be held on Sunday, May 20, from noon until 2 p.m., at the Eagles on Chickering Drive. She will also be remembered during the 10:30 a.m. Mass that same morning at St. Michael's Church where two memorial candles will be lit in her memory. Donations to CHAD (Children's Hospital at Dartmouth), 1 Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03766. To send messages of condolence to the family, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Milton “Tiny” Wheeler, 75, of Bennington. Died April 15, 2018. Born in Brattleboro on March 28, 1943, son of the late Ethy and Clinton Wheeler, he lived in Hinsdale, N.H., for many years. He was predeceased by his wife, Mary E. Wheeler, and four sisters. He is survived by his companion of 18 years, Betty Shannon; a sister, Gracie Fisher of Hinsdale; a daughter, Pam Bandy of Virginia; two sons, Milton Wheeler Jr. of Hinsdale and David Carey of Hinsdale; a stepdaughter, Carol Macie of Hinsdale; and 11 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. Memorial information: There are no calling hours. A graveside service will be held at a later date at West Brattleboro Cemetery.